May 27, 2017

SERGEANT RICHARD A. PITTMAN UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

apittman.jpg

Once more I have to ask:
"Dear God, Where do we get such men and why do we deserve them?"

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a member of First Platoon, Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines during combat operations near the Demilitarized Zone, Republic of Vietnam. On July 24, 1966, while Company I was conducting an operation along the axis of a narrow jungle trail, the leading company elements suffered numerous casualties when they suddenly came under heavy fire from a well concealed and numerically superior enemy force. Hearing the engaged Marines' calls for more firepower, Sergeant (then Lance Corporal) Pittman quickly exchanged his rifle for a machine gun and several belts of ammunition, left the relative safety of his platoon, and unhesitatingly rushed forward to aid his comrades. Taken under intense enemy small-arms fire at point blank range during his advance, he returned the fire, silencing the enemy positions. As Sergeant Pittman continued to forge forward to aid members of the leading platoon, he again came under heavy fire from two automatic weapons which he promptly destroyed. Learning that there were additional wounded Marines fifty yards further along the trail, he braved a withering hail of enemy mortar and small-arms fire to continue onward. As he reached the position where the leading Marines had fallen, he was suddenly confronted with a bold frontal attack by 30 to 40 enemy. Totally disregarding his own safety, he calmly established a position in the middle of the trail and raked the advancing enemy with devastating machine-gun fire. His weapon rendered ineffective, he picked up a submachine gun and, together with a pistol seized from a fallen comrade, continued his lethal fire until the enemy force had withdrawn. Having exhausted his ammunition except for a grenade which he hurled at the enemy, he then rejoined his own platoon. Sergeant Pittman's daring initiative, bold fighting spirit and selfless devotion to duty inflicted many enemy casualties, disrupted the enemy attack and saved the lives of many of his wounded comrades. His personal valor at grave risk to himself reflects the highest credit upon himself, the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. Raconteur Report: Ex Libris

Posted by gerardvanderleun at May 27, 2017 9:52 AM
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"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.

We're just the same age, and remember the same speeches. Because of my Dad's sacrifice in WWII I was ineligible for the draft, and happily took the pass. I at least had the humility to recognize that somebody else took me off the hook.

Brother Pittman, you may think you're no better than anybody else, but you're a better man than I am. Hats off.

Posted by: Rob De Witt at May 27, 2017 10:51 AM

At some point, some people, cross over into the "it's got to be done" zone and nothing else matters.

You never know if you are one of those "some people" until that time is upon you.

Will you accept the challenge and the fate that accompany's it, or do you cower?

You only learn the answer after it is over.

Posted by: ghostsniper at May 27, 2017 1:07 PM

I'll tell you something else, ghost:

When it happens more than once, you still don't know how your mechanism is gonna respond the next time. You can feel good about looking back at a time when you just did what was in front of you, but you better know that it's just as likely that the whole deal's just gonna lock up on you the next time.

And it's just as big a surprise, too.

Posted by: Rob De Witt at May 27, 2017 2:11 PM

"We were all buddies. We were close."
And most of us do not deserve their sacrifice. We should. Our time is running out.

Posted by: Howard Nelson at May 27, 2017 4:53 PM
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